Vibrator system



July 20, 1948.

C. HUETTEN VIBRATOR SYSTEM Filed Aug. 18, 1944 1N VEN TOR. (/armre flue/lat .BY 2 Z I E Patented July-20, 1948 VIBRATOR SYSTEM Clarence Huetten, Indianapolis, P. R. Mallory & 00., Inc.,

Ind., assignor to Indianapolis, Ind.,

a corporation of Delaware Application August 18, 1944, Serial No. 549,969 3- Claims. (Cl. 175-365) The present invention relates to electromagnetic vibratory interrupters, and, more particularly, to vibratory interrupters and vibrator systems of novel and improved character capable of producing interruptory action at relatively high frequencies by means of vibratory structures operated at considerably lower frequencies.

As those skilled in the art know, electromagnetic vibratory interrupters are used at present on a substantial scale for converting current drawn from a low-voltage source into alternating current of relatively high voltage which after rectification may supply the plate circuits of radio transmitting and receiving equipment. It has been found to be advantageous to employ vibrators capable of being operated at relatively high frequencies as this made it possible to use transformers and filters of small dimensions. Great practical difficulties have been encountered, however, in the design and production of such high-frequency vibrators and although the suggestions and proposals in this direction have been quite numerous, none of these various suggestions and proposals was completely satisfactory and successful when carried into practice on a commercial scale.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel vibrator which overcomes the foregoing difl'lculties and which is capable of producing interruptory rates of relatively high frequency without being subject to the engineering problems at present inseparably connected with the construction of high-frequency vibrators.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a vibratory interrupter of novel and improved character which includes a frequencymultiplying principle in its structural and circuit organization whereby the vibratory system is operated at relatively low frequencies but interruptory actions at considerably higher frequencies may be obtained.

It is also within the contemplation of the in= vention to provide a vibratory interrupter and a novel circuit organization therefor having a vlbratory system operated at conventional low frequencies and capable of controlling a plurality of electrical circuits at rates corresponding to twice such frequencies.

The invention also contemplates a high-frequency electromagnetic vibratory interrupter with a relatively low-frequency vibratory system which is very simple in construction, presents few, if any, engineering difficulties in quantity production, and which may be readily manufactured and sold on a practical and commercial scale at a low cost.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing; in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates the structural and circuit or- 'ganization of a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and

Fig. 2 depicts a similar diagrammatic view of a modified vibrator system embodying the invention.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention is described herein, it is contemplated that considerable variation may be made in the method 'of procedure and the construction of parts without departing from the spirit of the invention. In the following description, and in the claims, parts will be identified by specific names, for convenience, but they are intended to be as generic in their application to similar parts as the art will permit.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1 of the drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, the vibrator organization is of the general type in which the vibratory reed acts as a pusher to selectively actuate systems of contacts arranged at the sides thereof. Vibratory interrupters of this type are broadly disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 483,714, filed April 20, 1943, to which application hereby reference is made.

The vibratory interrupter essentially comprises a vibratory reed I0 clamped at one end thereof and carrying an armature or weight H at the other end thereof. Reed l0 may be deflected by the magnetic field of a driver coil I2, the circuit of which is controlled by means of a vibratory driver contact l3 mounted on the reed, cooperating with a normally closed tact M.

The vibratory reed is constructed and arranged to control two systems of contacts. The first one of these systems includes contacts I 5 and I 6 mounted at the ends of springs i1 and 18, respectively, at the left side of the reed, and contacts it and 20 mounted at the end of springs 2i and 22, respectively, at the right, side of the reed. Contacts to and i6 and contacts i9 and 20 are normally open and may be alternately closed by means of a pusher 23 mounted on reed lb, during vibrations of said reed. It will be noted that actuation of this first system of contacts ,by the reed is purely mechanical, the reed being not connected electrically to any one of the contacts forming part of the system but being insulated therefrom by making the pusher from an insulating material.

The second system of contacts includes vibratory contacts 24 and 25'mounted on the two sides of reed i0 and electrically connected therewith, said vibratory contacts respectively cooperating with relatively fixed contacts 26 26 is mounted at the end of spring 28 and contact 21 is mounted at the end of spring 29. Springs 28 and 29 are so adjusted that in the .normal position of rest of reed l0, contacts 26, 24, 25 and 21 are all closed.

stationary driver con- 1 and 21, of which All of the circuits of the-vibratory interrupter, including the driver circuit and the circuits of the two systems of contacts, are energized from a common source of low-voltage current 30. The driver circuit comprises source 30, normally closed contacts 21 and 25, reed Ill, vibratory driver contact l3, stationary driver contact l4, driver coil l2 and back to the source. This circuit being normally closed, driver coil l2 will be energized and will deflect the reed to the left, thereby breaking the driver circuit both at the driver contacts and at contacts 25, 21. The driver coil being now deenergized, reed ill will be returned by its compliance and will again close the driver contacts and also contacts 25, 21 so that a new cycle of operation will be started and the reed will be maintained in vibration in a manner well understood.

The circuit of the first system of contacts includes the primary winding 3| of a transformer 32, the center tap of which is connected to one terminal of source 30. The other terminal of source 30 is connected to both contacts l5 and |9, while the right hand end of the primary winding is connected to both contacts l5 and 20. Thus, it will be noted that the first system of contacts controls the current flow through the right hand half of the primary winding.

The circuit of the second system of contacts includes contacts 25, 24, 25, and 21, of which 21 is connected to one of the terminals of the source while contact 26 is connected to the left hand end of the primary winding. This second system of contacts controls the left hand half of the primary winding.

From the foregoing description, the operation of the vibrator system as a frequency doubler will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. In the normal position of rest shown in the drawing, the left half of primary winding 3| will be energized from source 30 through contacts 25, 24, 25, and 21, which are all closed at this time. In this initial position, however, also the circuit of driver coil I2 is energized as a result of the normally closed condition of driver contacts l3, l4 and of contacts 21, 25. The energized driver coil will deflect reed III to the left. As soon as the reed has moved through approximately oneeighth of its cycle, contacts 25 and 21 will be opened, thus opening the circuit of the left half of the primary winding. After approximately another one-eighth cycle, contacts l5 and I6, of the first system of contacts, will close and will energize the right half of the primary winding. During this action the reed reaches full amplitude and will start back to the right. The reverse of the previous action will follow in that in similarly timed sequence first contacts l5 and I6 open, deenergizing the right half of the primary winding, then contacts 26, 24, 25 and 21 close, energizing the left half of the primary winding. Thereafter, due to the inertia of the reed, it will swing past its normal or rest position, first breaking contacts 26 and 24, and deenergizing the left half of the primary winding, then closing contacts l9 and 20, energizing the right half of the primary winding, and then contacts 26, 24, 25, and 21 will close again, energizing the left half of the primary winding, etc. Throughout this vibratory operation, the reed will be driven by means of the cooperation of driver contacts |3, l4 and of contacts 25, and 21, which transiently connect the reed to one terminal of thesource, and driver coil l2.

It will be noted that during a full cycle of operation of reed I'll, two full cycles will be produced in the primary winding of the transformer, since the energized condition of the two halves of said winding will be twice alternately interchanged with their deenergized condition. In other words, the alternating voltage induced in secondary winding 33 will have twice the frequency of the mechanical frequency of the vibratory reed. This alternating current voltage may be rectified in any conventional manner, such as by means of a rectifier tube (not shown). This frequencydoubling action of course, depends on the condition that proper balance of contact spring tensions, contacts spacings and reed amplitude are maintained, but practical experience has indicated that such operating conditions can be readily established and maintained without involving serious manufacturing difilculties.

To increase clarityof illustration in the diagrammatic showing of Fig. 1, the first system of contacts has been shown as being at a greater distance from the clamped end of the reed than the second system of contacts. In practice, it is generally preferred to mount the two systems of contacts side by side, the reed being of a sufficient width to permit mounting insulated button or pusher" 23 and vibratory contacts 24 and 25 at the same distance from the clamped end of the reed. This arrangement has the advantage of greatly shortened overall length and makes possible the provision of a common stack in which all of the contact springs and also the reed are clamped.

In the modified embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 2 two vibrators A and B are employed, operated with a constant phase difference, to produce frequency doubling. Thus, in this case electrical coupling is used to obtain the desired result, rather than mechanical coupling or phasing, upon which the embodiment of the invention shown in Fig. 1 is based. Vibrator A is a driver vibrator which is maintained in continuous vibration by means of a driver contact and driver coil, while vibrator B is a driven or slave vibrator, the driver coil of which is directly connected across that of A. Vibrator systems of this type are broadly disclosed in my co-pending application Serial No. 485,976, filed May '1, 1943, now U. S. Patent 2,410,974, to which reference may be had for further details.

From Fig. 2, it will be noted that vibrator A comprises a vibratory reed 40, having its clamped end connected to one terminal of a source of low voltage direct current 4|, and carrying an armature 42 at its other end. The reed also carries a vibratory driver contact 43, cooperating with a normally closed stationary driver contact 44, and a pair of vibratory interrupter contacts 45 and 46. The said interrupter contacts respectively cooperate with stationary interrupter contacts 41 and 48, whichare connected together and also to the left end of primary winding 49 of a step-up transformer 50. The center tap of the primary winding is connected to the lower terminal of source 4| and also to one end of driver coil 5|, the other end of said coil being connected to stationary driver contact 44. As already stated in the foregoing, the other, upper terminal of the source is connected to the vibratory reed.

The other vibrator B is closely similar in structure and in dimensions to vibrator A. It is not provided with a system of driver contacts, but is driven by the driver vibrator by having its driver coil 52 directly connected across coil 5|. It comprises a vibratory reed 53, with an armature 54 assases at the free end thereof and bearing a pair of vibratory interruper contacts 55 and 88. Vibratory contacts 55 and 58 respectively cooperate with stationary interrupter contacts 51 and I8.

These stationary contacts are connected together and to the right end of primary winding 48. reed 83 being connected to reed 40 and to the upper terminal of the source of current. Preferably, reed 53 of the driven vibrator has a somewhat higher resonant frequency than reed Iii of the driver vibrator.

- To understand the operation of this vibrator system, it is to be observed at the outset that driver vibrator A, is operated as a conventional driver contact vibratorfthe driver circuit being vibration at the same frequency but at a constant phase difference of 90 degrees.

As it is set forth more fully in my said co-pending application, Serial No. 485,976, now Patent No. 2,410,974, issued November 12, 1946, this phase difference arises as follows:

The driving vibrator being self-actuated, maintains a reed motion in a fixed relationship with the coil voltage. However, the driven vibrator, having a resonant frequency greater than the coil voltage frequency, has a reed motion which leads this coil voltage just as a current in an L. C. circuit will lead the applied voltage when the resonant frequency of the circuit is greater than that of the applied voltage. In other words, contacts 57, 55 will close 90 degrees or one-quarter cycle before contacts 41, 45, and contacts 56, 58 will likewise close one-quarter cycle before contacts 46, 48.

Assuming now that the percent make of contacts 41, 45; 46, 48; 51, 55; and 56, -58 is 20% in each case, then at no time will be more than one pair of these contacts closed, and the time efficiency of the circuit will be 80%. As contacts 41!, 45 and 46, 48 control the left half of the primary winding and contacts 51, 55 and 56, 58 control the right half of the primary winding, this condition of operation causes alternate energizing of the two halves of the primary Winding at a rate corresponding to twice the mechanical frequency of either vibrator A or B. Consequently, the alternating current induced in the secondary winding will have likewise this double frequency.

The sequence of operation of the several contacts and their effect upon energizing the two halves of the transformer primary will appear from the following table:

tory action, such as the possibility of using transformers and filters of relatively small dimensions and of increased efliciency, are obtained without the engineering difliculties generally connected with the construction of vibratory interrupters having high-frequency mechanical systems.

While the present invention, as to its objects and advantages, has been described herein as carried out in specific embodiments thereof, it is not desired to be limited thereby but it is intended to cover the invention broadly, within the spirit and scope of the appe ded claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A vibrator system comprising in combination a transformer having a tapped primary winding, a vibratory reed, a first set of contacts including a pair of normally open contacts at each side of said reed connected in parallel with each other and connected in series with the first half of said winding, said pairs of contacts being alternately operable by said reed in the two extreme deflected positions thereof to connect said first half winding to a source of direct current and to pass current therethrough in one direction twice during a complete cycle of the reed, a secand set of normally closed contacts connected in series with the second half of said winding operable by said reed to connect said second half winding to said source and to pass current therethrough in opposite direction when the reed passes through its medial position twice during a complete cycle of the reed, the flow of current alternating in the two half windings and occurring at time intervals of one-fourth of a complete cycle of the reed, means including a driver coil and a set of driver contacts operable by said reed and adapted to be connected to said source to maintain the reed in continuous vibration, and a secondary winding for said transformer wherein alternating voltage is induced having twice the frequency of the reed.

2. A vibrator system which comprises in combination a transformer having a tapped primary winding, a reed mounted for vibration and having an insulative pusher thereon, normally open contact means at each side of the reed and under the control of said pusher, said contact means being connected in series with one half of said winding and being adapted to be closed and to pass current of one direction from a source of direct current through said half winding in the extreme positions of said reed, normally closed contact means under the control of said reed connected in series with the other half of said winding and being adapted to pass current of opposite direction from said source through said other half winding and to interrupt such current upon deflection of said reed in either direction, means including a driver coil and a set of driver contacts operable by said reed to maintain the reed in continuous vibration, and a secondary winding for said transformer wherein alternating voltage is induced having twice the frequency of the reed.

3. A vibrator system which comprises in combination a transformer having a, tapped primary winding, a vibratory reed bearing an insulating button and bearing a vibratory contact on each side thereof, normally open contact means at each side of said reed and under the control of said button. said contact means being connected in series with one half of said winding and being adapted to pass current of one direction from a source 01' direct current through said hali' winding in the extreme positions of said reed, a normally closed stationary contact for each of the vibratory contacts connected in series with the other half of said winding and being adapted to cooperate with said vibratory contacts to normally pass current of opposite direction from said source through said other half winding and to interrupt such current upon deflection of said reed in either direction, means including a driver electromagnet and a set 01' driver contacts under the control of said reed to maintain the reed in continuous vibratory motion, and a secondary winding for said transformer wherein alternating voltage is induced having twice the frequency of the reed.

CLARENCE HUEI'I'EN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

